Stolen
by Aqua4444
Summary: A thief has been plaguing the Woodland Realm for months without being nowhere near of getting caught. Legolas sees it as his duty to catch the thief once and for all, before things get out of hand. But he had not counted with meeting a flame-headed woman with the most insufferable attitude and a smile that made his blood boil, though not necessarily in a bad way. (pre-Hobbit)
1. Clueless

**Hello everyone! I'm back with a new story! **

**This will be focused on the Elves, mainly Legolas and Tauriel, though with a sprinkle of Thranduil since I find his character extremely fascinating and fun to write. This story will take place pre-Hobbit and I thought that I wanted to try and write a slightly different approach of the usual Legolas/Tauriel story (I've got nothing against them; I've written one myself and read a few of them, just wanted to try something else) and I hope that you'll like it! :) **  
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**A couple of things that all of you should know about this story: I know exactly how many chapters it shall be and I have the outline completely written, though not all chapters. Therefore, I cannot promise any regular updates and I also have school, which I will prioritize first. My goal is to have the story finished before the premiere of _The Hobbit: the Battle of the Five Armies_, which is the 17th December if I'm not mistaken. I will try not to let it go months without updating, but if it will be two weeks between updates, you will at least know why (though the second chapter's almost done and should be up in the beginning of next week).  
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**I do not own any characters except for some OCs or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do. **

_The italics in the beginning and the end of a chapter comes from either one of the Lord of the Rings-movies/books or from any of The Hobbit-movies/book. All of them will have some sort of connection to Elves. So I do not own them as well.  
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**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Clueless <strong>

_"__Something moves in the shadows, hidden from our sight. Every day it grows in strength." _

Legolas stood completely still, did not move a muscle, as his father continued to throw a tantrum. Now, the great Elven King did not throw a tantrum like others. He did not stomp around like an oliphaunt, cursing or pulling his hair in frustration. He didn't yell or started to throw things, blaming anyone that was in his way.

He just stared.

He had done so for some time now and Legolas was starting to grow impatient. His skin seemed to crawl and he desperately wanted to move, to deal with the problem at hand, not frightening the guards. His father did not seem to agree, but that wasn't very unusual.

Thranduil was looking like a statue where he was sitting on his throne, high above everyone else. Not a muscled moved beneath his pale skin and he had not blinked once since the two guards had come to report the theft. It was in moments like this, Legolas could not help but admire his father, couldn't stop the feeling of awe creeping up on his heart and seep in through his mind.

The King had blue eyes. It was something every Elf in the kingdom – and outside for that matter – knew. People sang songs about his eyes; how they were heavenly blue, summer blue or blue like the wide sea and how one could get lost in his eyes. Legolas felt quite sad by how wrong they were. Thranduil's eyes were the kind of blue that the ice was, like the thin membrane of ice before it cracked and you fell into the water. When looking at you, it was as if his gaze alone made the temperature drop. By the look of the guards, who – after all their training, being taught by the best Elven warriors – showed signs of being nervous, eyes shifting around the room, it could have been snowing in the throne room. Legolas repressed a sigh and thought about how glad he was for not having inherited his father's dramatic flair.

After what felt like hours, the King blinked. It was as if the whole room – even the walls of trees and rocks – held its breath. He blinked again and one of the guards – Legolas could not remember his name – looked to be in pain. The King blinked a third time.

"You may leave", he told the guards and his voice was haughty, as chilly as his eyes.

The two guards bowed in perfect synchronization and turned on their heels to leave the room. Their steps echoed in the underground palace as they went and to Legolas, it looked as if they were trying not to run. He wasn't even aware of that he shook his head until he sudden found a thin, silver-blond strand of hair dangling before his eyes.

As soon as the guards had turned their backs to the King and Prince, Thranduil's perfect façade started to break, cracks of emotions appearing. Legolas moved from his spot next to the throne to stand before it instead, having to crane his neck to look at his father.

Thranduil's posture slouched and he closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his straight nose and looked almost pained.

"How", he spoke through clenched teeth. "How I loathe incompetence."

"It is not their fault", said Legolas mildly, thinking of the guards that would probably go with nightmares for a good five years after the meeting with the King. "No one has ever caught the thief…."

"Exactly", Thranduil said and opened his eyes. "No one has ever managed to catch the thief or even glimpse him. If it was a one-time happening, I would not be so bothered. But for it to happen over and over again? I say that incompetence is to blame here and the people it possesses."

"Or it could simply be that the thief is cleverer than us."

Thranduil snorted, rose from his throne and descended the stairs.

"We are the most powerful of races, the cleverest, being rivaled only by the Istari. Unless you suggest that one of them is responsible, I am certain that the thief is one of us." His eyes darkened. "One of my own people…."

The King frowned and walked past his son as if not aware of his presence, long red robes trailing after him. Legolas followed.

"What are you going to do?" he asked.

Thranduil paused and looked over his shoulder, his mask of indifference back in place again.

"I am going to have a talk with Cúon about how he trains his guards and about discipline."

"I mean about the thief. These thefts cannot continue. You said so yourself. So what are you going to do, father?"

Thranduil's mouth was set in a thin line, but there was something dark, wild and desperate in his eyes. He furrowed his brows – brows that were so much darker than his hair – and when he spoke, there was both anger and agitation in his voice:

"I do not know. How to defeat an enemy we do not know anything about, nothing at all? The thefts all varies; from food to gems to flowers. We train our guards to be the best, to help protect the people and the kingdom. And they fail. Their failure reflects us."

"I know", said Legolas impatiently. "But I ask again; what will you do?"

"I will put my best man on the task, but the problem is that I seem to lack intelligent people if my guards can be fooled by a simple thief."

Thranduil's voice was cold and annoyed. Legolas frowned, feeling annoyance flare up inside him as well and he frowned, stepping in front of his father and cut off his way.

"They are doing their best", Legolas defended the guards, some of them who were his friends and others he didn't know, but could never repay enough for their sacrifice so that they could keep the realm safe. "You cannot ask more than that."

He didn't doubt that his father _could_ ask more than the best, but he knew that the King loved his people, though he did have a strange way to show it. Legolas continued to stare at his father, his eyes not nearly as cold, and Thranduil looked as if he was about to smile; the corners of his lips faintly twitching.

"I will arrange a meeting with the Council", Thranduil told his son. "After that, I will decide what shall be done."

The King made an attempt to move past his son, but Legolas stood his ground. Thranduil raised an eyebrow, irritation flashing in his eyes.

"That's it then?" asked Legolas before Thranduil could say anything. "Making decisions in the castle? The thief has never been near the castle; you will never catch him from here. Words will not be enough."

"What do you suggest? That I should ride out with an army, turning the forest upside down until the thief comes forward to confess?"

"You said that you lacked the company of intelligent people", Legolas reminded his father, pretending that he hadn't spoken. "Does that include me as well?"

He tried not to appear bothered by the fact. He always tried to make the King proud and sometimes he succeeded and sometimes not. If it was not the King he was trying to make proud, it was the kingdom. However, he despised being called useless or anything of the sort.

Thranduil merely looked bored.

"That I did not say, but if you want to prove your worth, what would you have me do about the thief?"

"Nothing."

Thranduil's face betrayed a brief flicker of surprise.

"Nothing?" he repeated as if the word was foreign to him.

"Yes", said Legolas and he meant it. "You can rule from here, you can have as many meetings with the Council as you want, but it will not be enough. Therefore, I suggest that you do nothing and let me deal with the thief."

There was silence after his speech. Legolas was studying his father, daring him to say otherwise. Thranduil merely raised an eyebrow, though he seemed to be amused. There was a curl to his lips that suggested that he was fighting down a smile and Legolas didn't know if he should feel insulted or not at his father's obvious amusement. The young prince stuck out his chin in defiance and Thranduil let out a swift laugh that took his son by surprised. The King's laugh was rich, had a velvety quality to it and it was less cold than his eyes.

"Is that a challenge you have given me?" he asked and eyed his son with approval. "Very well. You will get your chance to catch the thief."

With that said, the King made a gesture and swept past his son down the beautifully carved staircase that was built above an abyss where one could glimpse torches burning on the walls, given the underground parts of the castle a warm glow to it. Legolas stood frozen on the spot for nothing more than half a second, before blinking and following his father.

"The register of all the thefts are in my study", Thranduil called over his shoulder, not pausing in his walk. His voice echoed loudly in the spacy halls. "I will have them sent to your chambers later in the evening. Now, I shall gather the Council."

When Legolas had reached the lower floor, Thranduil was about to turn around a corner, but stopped. He turned around and Legolas halted. The expression on the King's face was one of nothing, a blank mask.

"If you should find the thief, bring him back dead or alive. It will not matter."

The words lacked any form of empathy and Legolas felt a rising sense of protest spread through his chest and his eyes gleamed in what could only be described as horror or even disgust. He frowned, but before he could voice his objection, Thranduil's expression changed once more and became one of thoughtfulness. He tapped one slender finger on his chin and said:

"You know…. I would prefer the thief alive should he be captured." Something dark entered the King's voice. "I would like to deal with the traitor myself."

The words left an ominous tingle to the air, almost as if it turned sour, poisoned. Father and son exchanged a look of understanding, though Legolas privately thought that the thief – if caught, though he did not doubt his own ability on that matter – would prefer death to the King's punishment. As much as Thranduil loved his people, twice as much did he hate disloyalty and those who were a threat to the Realm. Legolas accepted his orders with his head held high and face set in what he hoped was an expression of neutrality.

"My Lord."

Legolas bowed and Thranduil nodded at him before disappearing down the corridor, the light from the lanterns making his shadow appear twice as tall, flickering along the walls. As the King's footsteps faded away, Legolas straightened up and made his way down the opposite corridor. Despite the grave situation, he couldn't quite prevent a predatory smile to spread from his lips and the excitement that made his blood rush.

The hunt was about to begin.

_"__Other lands are not my concern. The fortunes of the world will rise and fall, but here in this kingdom, we will endure."_

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><p><strong>So, that was the first chapter! <strong>

**What did you think? Liked, disliked? I'm open to constructive criticism as long as it's written in a 'good'/polite way. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	2. An unexpected meeting

**Chapter 2, everyone! **

**Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! I hope you'll like this chapter! :) **

**I do not own any characters (except for a couple of OCs) or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do. **

_The italics in the beginning and the end of a chapter comes from either one of the Lord of the Rings-movies/books or from any of The Hobbit-movies/book. All of them will have some sort of connection to Elves. So I do not own them as well._

_Also, Elvish is in italics. I'm not extremely well-versed in the Elven language, so it might be a couple of grammar mistakes, but hopefully it'll do. _

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: An unexpected meeting <strong>

_"__I know you're there." _

The latest theft had taken place a small distance from the palace. It was not a long walk there, a quite easy way to go. One only had to follow the song and directions of the trees and they would lead you onto the right path. All in all, it was a safe way and Legolas did not doubt that he could take care of any threat, should it occur, that would come up. Apparently, Thranduil disagreed, because when Legolas had entered the courtyard this morning, cloak wrapped around his shoulders and his bow strapped onto his back, there had been one guard there, waiting for him.

The guard had dark hair and a serious expression. He introduced himself as Lannor and with a swift bow, explaining his orders from the King of escorting the Prince to the clearing and the crime scene. Legolas repressed an annoyed sigh, but accepted Lannor's company, glad that the other Elf had introduced himself because he had not known the name of the Elf before. The guards were many and Legolas only knew a handful of them and only a few more by name.

Their walk was a pleasant one, even though the forest wasn't as green and thriving as it once had been. The trees still grew in strange patterns that rose to the air and there were a faint sound of birds chirping that rang through the air in clear notes. Yet it was peaceful in a way that only a forest could bring. The power of the trees – that were rooted so deeply into the ground that removing them would be almost impossible and a great sin – was still strong and affected all the inhabitants in the forest. It was a beautiful place and though it might not have been as magnificent as the Golden forest to the West, Legolas thought that Mirkwood had its own power, a fierceness and a will to survive. No one could enter the kingdom without his father knowing it. The trees and faint winds whispered with each other and the King was a master of speaking their languages, an art that was becoming rarer.

While walking, Lannor calmly explained – on the Prince's request – what had happened this time. Apparently, a selection of a special kind of flower had been stolen, pulled up by their roots. Since there were not nearly as many flowers in the forest as it had been before, those who did grow there was treasured and taken great care of. That someone would violate something so pure and precious, a gift from the Maker, was unheard of.

They arrived at the small camp within a couple of minutes. There were a couple of huts that seemed to grow out of the ground and some wide flowerbeds; both with blossoming flowers and flowers that had not yet started to bloom, that was no more than green spires shooting up from the murky ground. No Elves were in sight and it was quiet, almost as if the place had been abandoned. Legolas thought it all very strange.

"This way", said Lannor and took the lead, nodding towards a narrow path leading away from the huts. "The Groundkeeper will be waiting for us at the crime scene. Orders from the King."

Legolas nodded, though his eyes were looking out over the area, alert and hawk like. He followed Lannor through the neatly arranged plantations. Everything was an earthy green, smelling like that particular scent that always seemed to linger in the air when it had been raining; a fresh scent of wood and damp moss. It was slightly chilly and Legolas wondered if that was the reason why no one was out or if there was a more serious reason for it.

Lannor led him to almost the end of one path where two other Elves were standing. Both were male and one of them was dressed in the dark green tunic that was the standard uniform for a member of the Guard. The other Elf was dressed in brown, adorned with thin chains of gold and his pale hair was braided into hundreds of tiny braids. He looked upset, his face contorted in fury and Legolas realized that he was very old from the pure anger that blazed from the Elf's green eyes. The guard looked as if his patience was wearing thin. He seemed relieved when Legolas and Lannor joined them.

"My Prince", the guard bowed and cut off his companion in the middle of a sentence.

"Duvaithor", greeted Legolas, remembering the Elf's name from their many training sessions. "What do you have to report?"

It wasn't Duvaithor who answered, though he was about to, but the fair-haired Elf with the expression of displeasure.

"He has nothing to report", he said harshly and threw the guard a dirty look. "Because he was not _here _when it happened. _Heru en amin_", he added with a bow that showed all the control his eyes did not.

Legolas frowned and looked between Duvaithor and the other Elf. Lannor stood behind him, quiet as a shadow.

"Forgive me", he addressed the Elf. "But who are you? Where you the one that discovered the theft?"

The Elf's eyes flared up with a green kind of fire and he straightened up. He was shorter than the average Elf, but still taller than some of the other races of Middle Earth.

"I am Égon, the Groundkeeper", he said and somehow managed to look down at Legolas despite the height difference. "No, I was not the first to discover that the flowers were missing. One of my apprentices was. But my point is that had the Guard been doing its job, this would not have happened."

Legolas was eerily reminded of his father the way Égon spoke. He kept his expression calm and turned to Duvaithor, silently begging him to elaborate. The guard nodded stiffly and did as he was asked.

"We do have two guards always patrolling around the area", he informed them gravely. "And since this is such a small part of the woods, my superiors think that two guards should be enough. Most of us are sent out to protect the borders."

Legolas nodded as a sign that he had understood. He knew that his father valued the safety of the kingdom more than a small spot in a very big kingdom that contained a couple of flowers, no matter how rare. Duvaithor continued with telling that they had not noticed anything suspicious that evening, nothing at all.

"It takes seven minutes between the guards patrolling the same place", explained Duvaithor and his grey eyes were bitter. "That would be enough time for anyone to take what they want." The Elf suddenly looked sad. "Though I cannot understand why…."

Legolas did not have an answer to that and turned to Égon instead. The older Elf crossed his arms over his chest, his golden bracelets making soft, metallic sounds as they rubbed against each other.

"You said one of your apprentices found the flowers missing?"

"Yes", said Égon, gesturing towards the small patch of earth they were standing at. It was messy, and the dark soil looking beaten up, looking as if someone had pulled up flowers with their roots from there, which was the truth. "It wasn't difficult to miss. Our _ivor galas_…. All of them gone!"

"I understand", said Legolas and adopted a polite expression, carefully continuing: "And they fulfill the use of….?"

He let the question hang in the air. Égon's eyes flashed dangerously, but he kept himself from saying something he probably would regret. Legolas could see that it was a struggle for the older Elf. He reminded Legolas of the Court Healer Merenwen; she would also look like that whenever the Prince behaved with what she thought was stupidity.

"Except for their beauty", Égon spoke through gritted teeth, "they have the power – if caring for them correctly – to help brew a potion that would create strength and durability. Whenever at war, we make sure that our _astalderea _are equipped with that elixir. The _ivor galas _is rare", he added as if Legolas hadn't listened.

Legolas averted his eyes and stared at the soil that had been so brutally handled. Even though he could not recall having seen an _ivor galas _before, he felt a sense of loss. It was as if he missed a beauty he had not known that he had needed to see, that the forest needed. In a way, he supposed that he could understand the Groundkeeper. Thievery was no good and stealing something precious, something pure in a world with too many shadows, made the crime far worse.

"I will have a look around", Legolas promised, resting his eyes once more upon the Groundkeeper. "In the meantime, could you fetch your apprentice, the one who found the flowers missing?"

Égon nodded, a bitter curl to his lips and Legolas had the sudden feeling of that he wanted to comfort the short, old Elf with his pale hair and haunted eyes.

"Do not despair", said Legolas gravely. "I will do my best to catch the thief and I'll make sure that you are repaid for your loss."

That got a smile out of the old Elf, but it was a sad one. He shook his head as he slowly started to walk back down the path that led to the little houses.

"You have a good heart, my Prince, but one cannot return a life that has been stolen. And the forest." He lowered his voice. "The forest is against us, I'm afraid. The trees…. They see everything, but they will not say anything about the thief…. We're on our own."

Legolas frowned. The words sounded ominous. Égon bowed his head and walked away, singing a song softly under his breath as he did:

"_Elen lantaner i ceven, lenwë astdied ospân. O i dúath talaf eredh heriagala. Nimp, bain galad, di tû hen amar lertaú hir. Ivor galas, lúsina loth, manke car lle dortha?_"

Legolas exchanged a glance with the two guards, trying not to let the song affect him. He gestured to Lannor and Duvaithor to follow Égon and they obeyed, though Lannor hesitated for a mere second. Legolas did not have it in him anymore to be irritated with his father for sending out protection. The sad song of Égon could still be heard and it tugged at something in the young Prince's heart. He wanted nothing more than to catch the thief at that moment.

He walked around the flower bed, now empty of its flowers. He tried to find a footprint, anything that was out of place and could link him to a person or a place. When not finding anything unusual, he sighed. Around him, there were only trees and he put a hand to one of the tree trunks. Legolas could feel it buzz with life beneath the bark, but otherwise, it was dead to all response.

Legolas paused and raised his gaze to the tree crown instead. He was sure that he had seen something move in the corner of his eye, hidden by the leaves. He frowned and narrowed his eyes. The voice of the Groundkeeper was starting to fade, but Legolas made no move that he was going to follow the other Elves. His eyes were firmly set on the trees. He thought he saw something red amongst the leaves and his eyes had never deceived him before. He felt his body tense and he slowly reached for his bow and an arrow from his back. One could never be too sure and something in the pit of his stomach told him that whatever dark red he might glimpse was a sign of something bad.

The clearing was quiet now, except for a weak breeze that somehow had managed to sneak through the thick tree crowns, making the leaves rustle and a couple of crows that crowed darkly in the distance. Legolas was about to draw an arrow from his quiver when something shot out of the tree, just as quick as if he would have fired a real arrow. It knocked straight into him and he fell to the ground, his bow and quiver cutting uncomfortably into his back.

He found himself straddled by another Elf, who put a hand over his mouth and another to his chest to keep him down. He struggled to get free, glared and found himself staring into a pair of lively green eyes.

_"__Why do you linger in the shadows?"_

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><p><em>Heru en amin - <em>My Lord (non familiar)

_Ivor galas - _Crystal plant

__Astalderea - __Valiant ones__  
><em>_

___Elen lantaner i ceven, lenwë astdied ospân. O i dúath talaf eredh heriagala. Nimp, bain galad, di tû hen amar lertaú hir. Ivor galas, lúsina loth, manke car lle dortha? -___

A star fell to the earth, leaving its dust all around. From the dark ground a seed begin to grow. Pale, beautiful light, with strength this world cannot find. Crystal plant, glowing flower, where do you dwell?

**So that was that. What did you think? I've written that little song by myself and I made up everything about the Crystal plant. **

**Can't say when the next chapter will be up, but hopefully it should be sometime next week :) **

**Thanks for reading! **


	3. Unbelievable

**Chapter 3 everyone! **

**Yes, it is a week later than I had planned, but I did warn you that the updates would be irregular. Hopefully, this will be worth the wait. **

**Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! :) **

**I do not own any characters - except for some OCs - or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do. **

_The italics in the beginning and the end of a chapter comes from either one of the Lord of the Rings-books/movies or from any of The Hobbit-movies/book. All of them will have some sort of connection to Elves. So I do not own them as well.  
><em>

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Unbelievable <strong>

_And lost he wandered under leaves, _

For a moment, all Legolas could do was staring. Disbelief and no small amount of anger, even outrage, kept him from doing anything else than stare up at the Elf, who had positioned herself in a way that made it most difficult for him to move, should he not have been petrified by shock and humiliation. She had put all her weight on his midriff while her legs were at his sides, keeping him firmly in one place.

The Elf had a pretty face and those eyes that seemed to look straight through him. Her hair was red and hung freely around her face. She watched him intently and he thought he could see specks of gold near her pupils. It was as if she didn't know what to make of him.

Legolas was aware of her every movement, every part of her as she held him pinned down. He tried not to think of how good it felt, of that strange fuzzy feeling in his chest and tried instead to reach for his fallen weapons. The woman removed her hand from his mouth and reached for his arm, but Legolas was quicker and he grabbed his fallen arrow. The red-haired Elf recoiled, wary that he would wound her. It was not what Legolas had in mind; the blond Prince had not been raised to act rashly, especially when it came to other Elves, his people. Though he couldn't deny that it was something suspicious about a strange Elf lurking around near the crime scene.

He was up on his feet in an instance and the other Elf swiftly took a step back, her movements graceful. He supposed that with some training she could be perfect; she had the beginning of a great warrior in her movements.

"Why did you do that for?" Legolas asked her, not breaking eye contact as he picked up his bow. He noticed how she had her eyes trained on the bow. She snapped her gaze to his when she answered and he was struck once again by her eyes, their depths and the color.

"You were going to shoot me", she said and her voice was rich with emotions, soft, though her tone was sharp.

Legolas didn't deny it and took a step forward. The woman mirrored him, though in the opposite direction. She seemed to be ready to run at any moment, calculating her escape. Legolas wondered if he made her nervous, if he looked as imitating as his father could be.

"I wonder", he continued, tilting his head to the side. "Why you were up there in the first place?"

She smiled at him and he lost track of his thoughts for a while. Her smile was wide, not only a mere stretch of the lips, but it wasn't all friendly either. It was a secretive smile, devoid of any teeth. It was strange how quickly she went from worried and alert to charming and alluring. Legolas formed his lips into a thin line, waiting for an answer. He wondered if she knew who he was and if she had been sitting in the tree long enough to hear the whole conversation.

"I was admiring the view", answered the red-haired Elf, still smiling.

"Somehow, I doubt it", Legolas told her and that was the truth. "Do you work here?"

She was dressed in dark trousers and a dark tunic, only a few shades lighter than the trousers. It didn't look like a uniform and Legolas recalled the Groundkeeper wearing far more exquisite clothes, which made him even more suspicious of the elleth. He also thought he could detect the handle of a knife sticking up from one of her boots. He took another step forward and the woman one step backwards.

"In a way I do", she replied to his question and her smile had decreased, though it was still there.

"You are aware of how suspicious that sounds, are you not?"

The woman just continued smiling.

"Ask me no questions and I shall tell no lies", she said and turned to walk away from him.

Legolas was not going to let this stranger just walk away, so he hurried after her and with a couple of long strides, he had caught up with her. He was dimly aware that they were not following a special path, but ventured out of the small settlement and into the dark woods.

"This is a serious matter", he said. "The harvest of _ivor galas _has gone missing…."

"Yes, I did hear something about that", the other Elf mused out loud and Legolas repressed the annoyed sigh of being interrupted by asking her how she had come across that knowledge. "Oh, you know, the trees talk, the birds gossip and our race is not as silent and secretive as we want others to believe. If you want to hear something, all you have to do is listen."

They had strayed from the original path and approached a stream that ran below them, a ribbon of swirls in deep, murky colors. Legolas didn't want to go any farther. He wasn't afraid of getting lost, but he was apprehensive of continuing with this woman he knew nothing about.

"Be that as it is, but I find everything about you right now to be very – how should I put it? – fishy."

The woman stopped and whipped her head around with such force that Legolas was afraid that her neck would break. It looked to be very fragile. He stopped next to her and tried not to show his unease about the way her eyes were blazing. They sparkled with green fire.

"Fishy?" she repeated, sounded torn between laughter and annoyance. "Do you accuse me of thievery?"

Legolas held up his hands in an attempt of peace, though it did not work as well as he still had his bow in one hand and an arrow in the other. He quickly lowered his hands.

"I am just trying to make you see the slight worrisome of your behavior…."

"I didn't steal anything, if that's what you're hinting."

She sounded offended, angry that he even would assume such a thing. He watched her with a thoughtful expression on his face, but he couldn't push away the gnawing feeling that there was something going on that he did not know what yet.

"Tell me the truth", he begged of her, his blue eyes chilly. "Why are you here?"

Any sign of anger that previously had been in her eyes, written across her fair features, vanished and left that smile upon her lips. Legolas bit the inside of his cheek to keep his face emotionless and not to let her know how infuriating the curve of her lips was.

"That's a conversation for another time", said the red-haired woman and started walking again.

"What makes you think that it will be another time?" Legolas couldn't help but ask.

The woman gave him another secretive smile and her eyes sparkled.

"Exactly."

Then she leapt across the stream, graceful and looking as if she was born doing it. She landed on the other side and ran, soon disappearing amongst the trees. It had all happened so fast that Legolas had barely had time to blink, to register it all. He drew his bow, but didn't shoot, since the elleth was out of sight. He was unsure if he even wanted to shoot her should she still have been within sight.

Legolas stood at the edge of the stream and looked ahead. He tried to catch a glimpse of red, but was unsuccessful. He despised when things didn't go his way, something he had with no doubt inherited from his father.

"Oh, bother it all", Legolas muttered and after another dark look around him, he headed back to the settlement.

_And where the Elven-river rolled._

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><p><strong>That was that. What do you think? <strong>

**I will not promise when the next chapter will be up, but hopefully, _hopefully_, it will be sometime next week. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	4. A new lead

**Chapter 4, everyone! **

**I know; another late chapter, but school's been crazy. Hopefully, it will cool down now a bit (I wish!) so that I can focus more on writing. **

**Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! I really enjoy reading all of your comments and theories. It brightens my day whenever I get a notification of a new follower, favourite or review :) Now, I had a couple of questions from some guest-reviewers that I'll answer here:  
><strong>

**guest: Glad you like the story and I've planned for it to be 20 chapters if everything goes the way I wish it to! **

**BryanVizard: Thanks for reviewing! To answer your question of why she was was staring at his bow; first off, it was a weapon which could be used to harm her, so she was naturally weary of it (she didn't carry a bow herself). But you are right that she also _did _recognize it, which I will go more into in later chapters (I don't want to spoil anything). Hope that answered your question!**

**This chapter is more of a filler before the - if I may use the expression - 'good stuff' will happen. **

**I do not own any characters (except some OCs) or bigger places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do. **

_The italics in the beginning and the end of a chapter comes from either one of the Lord of the Rings-books/movies or from any of The Hobbit-movies/book. All of them will have some sort of connection to Elves. So I do not own them as well._

_Elvish is also in italics._

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Kapitel 4: A new lead<strong>

_"We must move on",_

Legolas was still more or less fuming with anger as the cottages and their green lands came into view again. He was not quite sure of what had happened, but he knew that it was nothing to his advantage. In fact, he felt rather ridiculed. That wasn't something he usually felt, but then again it was not common for him to be treated as the red-haired woman had treated him. If he could look past his current annoyance and indignation of being nowhere nearer to catch the thief, he would have realized that it was quite refreshing to be spoken to without the shadow of his title hanging around and dampening the conversation.

Égon and the two guards were waiting for the blond prince outside the biggest of the cottages. It was covered with leaves and mosses in various shades of green and brown and thick roots were running across it, keeping it steady and safe. A couple of tiny white flowers clung to the walls, a picture of innocence. The brown-haired Elf who had joined the Groundkeeper and the guards was also a lovely picture of innocence and she curtsied when Legolas approached them. He gave her a nod and a polite smile.

"Forgive me for my delay", he said as a greeting. "I was held up."

Lannor and Duvaithor did not seem bothered and Égon accepted it with a pompously incline of his head. The elleth smiled hesitantly and Legolas couldn't help but wonder how young she was.

"No need to apologize, my Lord", said Égon. "Justice will take its time, but the end will be sweet. Now, I've brought you my apprentice who found the flowers missing."

Here he nodded at the young woman and it was to her Legolas turned, his face softening, and asking for her name.

"Díllothwen, my Lord", she replied and shyly looked at him from beneath her dark lashes.

"Díllothwen", Legolas repeated. "Could you tell me what happened, how you came to find the flowers gone?"

He spoke in soft, pleasant tones, trying a different approach then he knew his father would've done if he was the one interrogating the young woman. Legolas believed that it created some sort of feeling of equality if approaching someone with a vague sense of familiarity. He himself always felt better if someone talked to him politely, listening and actually wanted to hear what he had to say. It was only in company of his father and the members of his Council that it was easier to act as cold and superior as they did, looking down at the world from above their noses.

Díllothwen was nodding and her eyes sparkled and her voice was urgent, eager to speak now when it appeared that Legolas really wanted to know.

"It was yesterday morning. The sun had barely risen. I usually take the early walks around. It's always so peaceful then and I sometimes sing for the flowers."

Legolas listened as she talked, putting away the information and sorting it into different chambers in his mind. Díllothwen told him how she had been doing her usually round and when she had arrived at the flowerbed with _ivor galas, _which was at the end of her walk, all the flowers were gone. She had rushed to get Égon and he had fetched the guards that were on duty. Then after some arguing – though Díllothwen did not put it exactly that way, the meaning was still there – they had reported it to the King.

"And you are certain that you didn't see anything special, anything out of the ordinary?" Legolas asked her, wanting to make sure that she didn't forget anything.

Díllothwen looked thoughtful, glancing around the area. Her gaze was almost dreamy. Legolas patiently waited.

"No….", said Díllothwen eventually, her eyes focusing on Legolas again. "It seemed like everything was in order. Though I remember", she added and her eyes got a new light to them, "that at first, I thought that something had gone wrong with the schedule, because once a month there are a couple of carriers that pass through here to pick up some plants and I was thinking that they had been here to get the flowers, but it turned out that I was mistaken…."

Legolas frowned and turned to Égon.

"You did not inform me of this."

The other Elf answered in a voice that was aching to boredom, defensive:

"What about it? It is a common event and they arrived as planned, the day before yesterday."

"The day before the theft…." Legolas paused and fixed Égon with a piercing stare. "Did they go near the _ivor galas_?"

"Yes", Égon admitted and now he looked a bit doubting. "They did. They usually take one or two with them to study. Their village is known for their vast knowledge of plants."

"Was it the usual carriers this time?" Legolas inquired, his spirits rising somewhat at the prospect of getting somewhere.

"Yes", answered Égon immediately, sounding sure of it. "My daughter and I greeted them and two of the gardeners followed us around when they were inspecting the plants."

Legolas nodded absentmindedly and thought of what he had been told. It was something that bothered him, something small in the back of his head that wouldn't go away. He tapped his chin with a long finger, deep in thought. There looked to be a trail to follow, finally some sort of clue. Legolas decided to visit the village, to see if there was as a chance of getting anywhere with the case. He turned back to the company of four that was all watching him, waiting for him to say something, to make a decision of what would happen next.

"Thank you for your assistance", he said to Díllothwen and she nodded. "You have been most helpful." The Prince next spoke to the Groundkeeper. "I need the names of the carriers who retrieved the plants and of their village."

"The village's name is _bendaeenorod_", explained Égon. "It lies across the river and further down from it, in the shadow of the mountain. Ask for master Haeronor. He is in charge of the plant learners."

"_Diola lle_", said Legolas formally and schooled his features into a mask of cold politeness again, though he was ready to leave at any moment, eager to continue his hunt.

Égon nodded graciously back and beckoned Díllothwen to follow him. As she was about to do so, Legolas remembered something.

"One last question." He paused and tried to appear casual, almost uninterested. "Do you have a woman working here with red hair." And beautiful eyes and an infuriating, secretive smile, his brain supplied helpfully but Legolas knew better than to voice it.

Égon wore a small frown upon his forehead and blinked slowly as if he was trying to turn pages of years of memories to find a blotch of red ink – a rare color of hair amongst their kin – that would stand out. It was Díllothwen who answered.

"There is Cerenil", she said and watched the Prince with wide, doe-like eyes. "Is it important?"

'I don't know' would have been the truthful answer, but Legolas couldn't make himself form the words. He only gave the young woman a thin smile and after a last show of gratitude, the Groundkeeper and his apprentice left. Legolas gave himself a little shake and faced the two guards.

"I seem to have gotten the information that I needed. Your services are no longer needed. Duvaithor, you have permission to return to your post or report to the Captain."

Duvaithor accepted the command with a bow before taking off, soon completely consumed by the trees. Lannor was the last one standing, regarding Legolas with sharp eyes, alert and awaiting his orders.

Legolas started walking and Lannor quickly fell into his steps. They were heading back towards the castle.

"What are you going to do now, my Lord?" Lannor dared to ask.

"I shall fetch some things for my travel", Legolas replied with his eyes set ahead. "Then I would like you to deliver a message to my father about my whereabouts."

If Lannor found it odd that the Prince did not want to seek out the King, he didn't mention it. He only inclined his head that he had understood and Legolas appreciated it. He didn't have the strength to meet with his father at the moment when he knew that Thranduil would not be too pleased with his decision to leave the castle grounds and venture to the very borders of the realm. Yet Legolas couldn't muster any strength to argue with his father about that now. He was thrilled that the search led him beyond the castle, across the river, to a place that he could not recall having visited before. If all went well, he would even discover the thief. A small part of him also wondered, even hoped, that he would come across the red-haired woman from earlier. He shook his head and smiled to himself. What a foolish thought.

_"We cannot linger." _

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><p><em>Bendae/en/orod - _In the shadow of the mountain

_Diola lle - _Thank you

**So, that was that. What did you think? In the next chapter, the 'good stuff' as I put it, will slowly begin...  
><strong>

**Hopefully the next chapter will not take this long to get up. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	5. You again

**Chapter 5, everyone!**

**An update rather in time this time! On another note; have you heard that Billy Boyd will be performing the song that will end BOTFA?! That will surely be incredible! **

**Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! I really enjoy reading all your theories and in time, all shall be revealed. It makes me so happy that there are people enjoying this story! :) **

**I do not own any characters (except some OCs) or bigger places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do. **

_The italics in the beginning and the end of a chapter comes from either one of the Lord of the Rings-books/movies or from any of The Hobbit-movies/book. All of them will have some sort of connection to Elves. So I do not own them as well._

_Elvish is also in italics._

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Kapitel 5: You again<strong>

_"__Your coming to us is as the footsteps of doom." _

It took a couple of days, nearing a week, before he arrived at the village called _B__endaeenorod. _It had been a good journey and Legolas felt very content as he got to see more of his kingdom than he had done in years. Traveling along the river had been a joy and he thought he would recommend it to his father when he returned to the castle. He didn't know when Thranduil last had visited other parts of the kingdom than the castle grounds.

_Bendaeenorod _was a simple town, with houses built around trees and below them. They were well-built and Legolas would barely have taken them for houses had it not been for a window now and then reflecting light from the inside. The town was separated from the rest of the forest by a large gate of trees and twigs, woven together in perfect collaboration.

He passed through the gates and ducked so that the twigs wouldn't get stuck in his hair. The sight that met his eyes was one of life. Even though the forest had turned darker over the years, it was difficult to believe when he looked out over the village before him. It simply looked fresh and lively, with Elves walking around on the narrow paths and the leaves and bushes were green, greener than Legolas thought it could have been possible. It brought a smile to his face and the motion felt uncommon, which was sad. The river could be heard in the distance, a clear sound.

The Prince was rewarded with curious and suspicious looks when he walked through the village. He did not think that he looked different from them; he had chosen his traveling clothes for his journey and even though they were made of fine materials, they had gotten dirtier and torn during his journey. His bow – while unique in its own way – was not an extraordinary sight since many of the inhabitants walked around with bows casually strapped across their backs.

"_Veduil'!_" someone called out and Legolas followed the sound of the voice, as did many others.

A tall Elf was approaching him with a wide smile upon his face, a rare sight amongst their kin. It showed off pearly white teeth and his eyes glittered like suns. He seemed to be a shade from a better time, from a time when the Elves' power was at its strongest.

The man approached him and Legolas waited. He was surprised when the other took him by his arm and gently steered him away down a path that led away from the main road of the village.

"_Tula, heru en amin, lye innas pedo manke ennas naa ú lhaw an hlar." _

Legolas frowned, but accepted the other man's suggestion and let himself be led away. As they walked, they were greeted by cool smiles and polite nods. At first, Legolas thought they were for him, but as further they walked, it became clear that it was the other Elf that held the peoples respect. He kept his bright smile plastered on his face and Legolas felt a spark of curiosity. Who were this Elf and which player was he in the big game the whole realm was currently playing?

They reached a grand cottage eventually. It was seated beneath an enormous oak and its roots grew thick, forming walls with only slits for windows. Moss and wildflowers grew under the roots, peaked up between them. Grey stones covered in yellow moss were also a part of the house of nature. From them poured small waterfalls, creating a nice melody.

"In here, my Prince", said the other and held open the beautifully carved door. "Here we shall speak in peace."

"I appreciate the gesture", Legolas replied, but did not make a move to step inside. "And I would appreciate it even more if you told me who you are."

"Forgive me", said the other Elf, still smiling, though without showing any teeth now. "How rude of me. My name is Tatharon Forestspirit. I am the guardian of this village."

"A pleasure", said Legolas politely. "And how is it that you know who I am when others clearly do not?"

"Simple; I knew you would come, others did not."

Legolas watched him closely, trying to read his character. He was met with a picture of friendliness and wisdom, something that made him calm and filled him with a sense of trust for Tatharon.

"How did you know of my arrival?" asked Legolas as he accepted the open door and entered the house.

"A message from the King", answered Tatharon. "A raven flying day and night to deliver it and trees whispering."

The inside of the house was homely. Oak, stones and copper made the room feel safe and warm, while different colored fabrics lightened it up. There were two doors that led to other rooms and Legolas couldn't help but wonder how far underground the rooms were. Tatharon offered him a seat with a quick bow and took out two well-crafted goblets of copper with golden details from a wooden cabinet. He poured up a golden liquid and handed one of the goblets to Legolas.

"To the King's good health and to the realm! May the leaves on the trees ever stay green!" toasted Tatharon and Legolas raised his goblet to drink to his father's health and the kingdom's future.

The drink was sweet, with a hint of something sour. It tasted fresh and it was welcoming with something different after having lived on water for almost a week. Tatharon explained that it was apple juice and Legolas then knew why he didn't recognize its taste. At the castle, red wine was the most common drink.

"Do you know why I am here?"

Tatharon sipped his drink, a hint of a smile still visible and Legolas wondered how one could be that happy or see something amusing in every situation.

"Actually, that knowledge has escaped me", the dark-haired Elf admitted. "Would you be so kind to enlighten me?"

At the request, Legolas told him about the thief and how he had come to the conclusion that there could be people here that knew something about the latest theft or – Legolas did not rule it out – that one of them could be the thief. Tatharon listened as the Prince talked, his face serious and smile gone. It seemed as no one liked the fact that the thief was one of their own kin and Legolas suspected that Tatharon would be most displeased if the thief was one from his village. That would not be a good association.

"I see", Tatharon eventually said when Legolas was finished. "Of course I will aid you in this. Your informant is right; Master Haeronor is in charge of the study of the plants, along with his wife. I shall arrange a meeting with them so that you can ask them your questions."

"That is kind of you, but I would like to explore the village before starting with the inquiries. I need to get a better picture of your lives here."

Both of them were standing up now, their drinks gone. Tatharon nodded and bowed, once again a peaceful smile upon his fair face.

"That sounds reasonable, my Lord."

Those words reminded Legolas of something and stopped from leaving the guardian's house.

"One last thing. I would like if we could not mention my _position_", said Legolas and smiled thinly. "It would be for the best during this investigation."

"Of course", nodded Tatharon. "Whatever you wish, my Lord."

"Good."

Tatharon followed him to the door and Legolas thanked him for his cooperation and hospitality. They had come to an arrangement that Legolas was to stay in one of Tathron's many cottages which he owned around the village. And if someone asked, they would say that Legolas was here in an errand for the King, which was technically the truth.

Legolas started his exploring of the village with a map of it safely tucked into his pocket and his bow ready, should he come across something foul. Just like before, he attracted a lot of curious glances, but no one approached him. He guessed that his mysterious arrival and the fact that the first thing he had done was following the highest ranking Elf in the whole village to his home. The people of the Woodland Realm were a suspicious kind, even to their own race and not only outsiders.

The blond Elf had walked around for a while, inspecting houses and workshops, having small talk with older Elves that were not afraid to ask questions, when he caught a glimpse of her. It was the unusual flash of red in the corner of his eyes that grabbed his attention, almost unwillingly so. He turned to look at was met with the red-haired Elf from many days before staring at him. He thought he could detect surprise in her eyes. She was wearing a dress now and a basket slung across one of her arms while her long hair was braided, not a single hair out of place. It was a strange sight to his eyes after having seen her as someone close to being a warrior, dangerous and cunning. Now she just looked sweet and innocent and he did not know why he felt almost like a pang of disappointment.

She was together with another Ellf maid and the other looked between the two of them with confusion written across her face. She said something to the red-haired woman, who shook her head, never breaking eye contact with him once. He stood completely still, did not move a muscle, barely raising an eyebrow at her. He thought he could detect a slight curl of her lips now and it sent off annoying sparks inside his chest.

The red-haired woman said something to her companion and handed her the basket. Legolas couldn't make out what it was they spoke of. The other Elven woman – with light-brown hair and creamy skin, with big blue eyes – gave Legolas one last look and a frown before leaving, hurrying down a path and disappeared around a corner. The red-haired elleth approached him with determined steps. Still, he did not move. She stopped right in front of him and looked him up and down, almost as if she assured herself that he was truly there. Yet he was the one who spoke first, unable to keep quiet:

"You again", he said with a hint of a smile, a very small hint.

"Yes", answered the woman and her smile was wider, her lips full and pink. "Me."

"You look surprised."

"Maybe. I confess that I did not think that we should see each other again so soon or at all."

She didn't sound too disappointed however and she was still smiling that cursed smile that made him flush and annoyed with himself for finding irresistible. He tried to appear nonchalant, giving nothing away.

"It seems you were wrong. We've met again and I will be staying here for a while."

If it was possible, her smile got even more alluring and she leaned closer, almost as if she was telling him a secret. Legolas forced himself not to take a step back at this sudden invasion of his personal space.

"Is it about the mysterious thief?" she whispered in a low voice, looking at him with eyes that barely concealed a bit of annoyance. "I do hope that you will not accuse me of stealing again."

Legolas swallowed and tried to find his voice again.

"I will do everything to find the guilty part, no matter who it is."

Even though he felt perhaps a slightly bit intimidating by the woman at the moment, his voice came out strong and chilly. The woman smiled a crooked smile and leaned back, putting an appropriate distance between them. She titled her head to the side and watched him.

"You know?" she said and it sounded as if she was thinking out loud. "I am quite glad that you are here."

With those last words, she gave him one last smile and turned to walk away. Legolas blinked and awoke from the momentarily daze he had felt. He loathed the way this woman made him feel; torn, uncomfortable, annoyed, curious and at the same time a feeling of want with her secretive ways and smiles.

"What is your name?" he asked her and tried to keep his voice even. "We have crossed paths twice now. I believe it's fit to exchange them now."

The red-haired woman shook her head and now Legolas had decided – no matter what feelings she might wake in him – that her smile was something of the worst things in this world.

"When our paths cross a third time, I will tell you. For now, I chose to keep it a secret."

_"__For I much desire to speak with him."_

* * *

><p><em>Veduil' - <em>Greetings

__Tula, heru en amin, lye innas pedo manke ennas naa ú lhaw an hlar - __Come, my Lord, we will speak where there are no ears to hear

**So, that was that! What did you think? Any new theories or guesses? They are really interesting to hear! **

**If everything goes as I hope, I should have the next chapter up within a week or perhaps even sooner. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	6. Searching

**Chapter 6, everyone! **

**Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! :) I really enjoy reading your thoughts and theories! Really, it's wonderful and we've passed over 50 reviews already!  
><strong>

**I do not own any characters (except some OCs) or bigger places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do. **

_The italics in the beginning and the end of a chapter comes from either one of the Lord of the Rings-books/movies or from any of The Hobbit-movies/book. All of them will have some sort of connection to Elves. So I do not own them as well._

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 6: Searching <strong>

_"__The Wood Elves of Mirkwood are not like their kin."_

It was when exploring the village, gathering information about the everyday life and asking questions about the founders and the group of plant-students that Legolas truly came to realize how reserved their race was. He asked all he wanted to know with a polite tone and smile, choosing a more charming approach then his father would have recommended, but while the answers he got was just as polite, if not a bit short, there was suspicion in their eyes.

The second day of his arrival, he snapped up the theory of that he was one of the Guards and that he was there on a secret mission for the King. He did nothing to indicate that the rumors were wrong, though he noticed that some of the inhabitants – the older ones with much more wisdom in their clear eyes – were watching him with thoughtful faces. Legolas wondered if they drew the true connection or if they had once attended some festivities with his father, since the two of them had some striking resemblance to one another.

There were not many Elves that lived in the village, which Tatharon had explained was the reason because of its far distance to the heart of the realm and because of the lack of work, of interesting events. The older Elf spoke of it as if it was nothing, but Legolas could see in his eyes that it did bother him that the beauty of _Bendaeenorod _was overlooked by so many.

After three days of walking around the village – secretly hoping to run across the red-haired woman, but with no such luck – and trying to get a better picture of it, he decided to visit the House of Green as the place was called where the studying of plants happened.

The house was covered with vines and moss so well that Legolas wouldn't have guessed that it was a house at all had not Tatharon informed him that it was. Oval-shaped windows stretched across the roof and provided the inside with a dim, shimmering light. Everything smelled strongly of earth and a musky scent, mixed with something sweet. It made him slightly dizzy.

"Quite fascinating, is it not?" Tatharon asked him and smiled knowledgably as the doors closed behind them. "I dare say you would not find a place like this in neither Imladris nor Lothlórien."

He sounded like a proud father and Legolas could only nod as he took in his surroundings. In the middle of the room were tables full of pots with different plants in them. Small fountains of stone stood in the corners, providing a sense of humidity and a homely sound. Instruments Legolas had never seen before laid in neat rows upon shelves and at the far end of the room; there was the beginning of a tunnel where a light flickered. There were a couple of Elves working at the tables and desks, inspecting a yellow plant Legolas had not been aware existed. They talked in quiet voices, barely looking up as the two males entered the house. Legolas felt as if he had arrived to a place that would suit his father; calm, quiet and organized. He felt out of place there, as if he was taking up too much space.

Tatharon gestured for him to follow and he did. They passed the working Elves, who barely acknowledged them, and went into the tunnel. It was not a very long walk, but Legolas longed to be out in the open again.

"Haeronor work further inside", explained Tatharon in a quiet voice as they walked. "They have their lair deeper underground, where they perform their experiments."

"What hall did we pass before then?"

"That's where they study the plants and keep their records. But it's in here the real magic happens."

Tatharon smiled and in the dark his eyes gleamed like jewels. They had arrived to a door, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, and Tatharon opened it.

"After you, my Lord."

Legolas stepped inside and a small noise of surprise escaped him as he took in his surroundings. The room was rather large and with no windows. A fire burned in a grate and torches was lined up on the walls, amongst something like hundred shelves. Kettles and bowls, glass bottles with liquids in every color imaginable, scattered notes written in black ink that had not yet dried and tools of wood and silver all was spread out on the different tables. From the ceiling hung a couple of black, dry plants that smelled of blackcurrant. The room was warm and energy flowed in the air in waves. Legolas was certain that he had entered the heart of the house.

"Magnificent, do you not think so?" came Tatharon's voice to Legolas's right and he could only nod.

The Elves down there – it looked to be around two dozens – wore the same, brown uniform, their hair was braided the same way and some even wore gloves. After a life at court, Legolas had become good at distinguish who held the most power, who was in charge, and it became clear there as well when he looked around the room, glancing over the different Elves. One stood out in particular, with long, golden hair in a messy braid and he was running around between the different tables, talking loudly and inspecting bottles, while scribbling down words in a handwriting that wasn't as messy as his appearance. Legolas knew he was Master Haernor even before Tatharon called out to him.

Haernor glanced up as the two visiting Elves descended the stone steps. He bowed quickly to Tatharon and spared Legolas barely a glance.

"Lord Guardian", he said to Tatharon and his voice was gruff for an Elf's. "What can I do for you? I am quite busy as you can see…."

"Oh, I won't bother you for long", promised Tatharon. "Young Legolas here, however, wants to ask you some questions. I believe I informed you of this?"

Haernor nodded and regarded Legolas with cool, light-green eyes that looked slightly eerie. Legolas stared back, waiting. In the end, Haernor broke out into a small smile.

"Of course", he said amiably. "Any interest in our research is welcomed. Spread the word at the castle, if you wish! You are from the Elvenking's Halls, are you not?"

"Yes", answered Legolas. "Master Haernor, I believe you are the founder of this place?"

"That is correct. My wife and I took our interest for the forest and its life to a new level and created House of Green for others sharing our interest and beliefs. I work down here, where we experiment. My wife – Lady Amarbes – is in charge of the part where the results are being studied. Her sister is supervising the first progress of our work, when all plants and flowers are brought in. You passed through there before you arrived here, though you cannot have been seeing her." He turned to Tatharon. "She is staying home with her son since the accident down the river."

Tatharon hummed and expressed his sympathies. Legolas felt out of place, like a total stranger and he did not know how to behave. There was a different behavior here than how people acted in the castle.

"A family business", Legolas mused out loud and continued: "Master Haernor, I will speak clearly with you. Are you aware of that there has occurred a series of thefts these past months around the realm?"

Haernor blinked and frowned.

"No, can't say I have been privileged to that knowledge. That's outrageous! What are being done about it?"

Legolas explained a short version of the thefts, detailed, but to the point. He told Haernor about the _ivor galas _that had been stolen and he thought he saw the other Elf's eyes flash with a brief look of panic, but he could have imagined it. When he was finished, the older Elf looked grim and muttered:

"Not here."

Legolas arched one eyebrow, but the other Elf did not elaborate. He gestured to another Elf and raised his voice a bit to overpower the noises of working:

"Landor, if you could please oversee the progress for me? I will be back soon."

Haernor turned back to Legolas and Tatharon, gesturing for them to go.

"Come. We shall speak in private and I suppose my wife should be present."

"I could fetch her", offered Tatharon, who had been quiet for a long time. "I know the way."

Haernor nodded his consent before Legolas could provide a 'yes' or 'no'. It irked him, the way the elders seemed to look over him as if he didn't know what he was doing. A tiny voice in his head whispered that his father would've never allowed someone to treat him like that. It did not take much willpower to force it away. Legolas had chosen to keep his identity secret and Tatharon was only helping playing the part.

Tatharon disappeared down the dark corridor and Haernor led Legolas to another room, a much smaller room and less grand. A round table was placed in the middle, with three wooden chairs around it. Legolas guessed that this was where the three Heads of the House must have their meetings.

Neither of the Elves spoke to each other. Haernor lit a couple of candles and offered Legolas a seat with an inclination of his head. Not soon after that, Tatharon returned with a woman that could only be Haernor's wife. She was tall and fair, though her features were sharp and her brows shaped in a way that made it look as if she was frowning.

"Thank you, Tatharon", said Legolas politely. "I do believe that your services are no longer needed."

"Of course", smiled Tatharon and his eyes gleamed strangely from the light of the candles. "I wish you my best. Master Haernor, Lady Amabres."

With a last nod, he turned on his heels and walked out of the room, closing the door as he did so. Legolas straightened up and made himself smile ever so slightly.

"Please, LadyAmabres, have a seat."

The woman obeyed, looked him over with eyes that was scarily blue. Legolas mentally shook himself and told her about the thefts, the same story he had told her husband. She did not speak, only stared. It was effective, Legolas admitted, and a couple of times he was about to lose his nerve to continue the story. When he was done, Haernor managed to speak before he could say anything else.

"I know what you are going to ask", he said and his mouth curled into a bitter smile. "You suspect us of being responsible for the disappearance of the _ivor galas_. Does the King not trust in his own subjects anymore?"

Legolas recognized that he was out on thin ice and had to trade carefully. Haernor was tapping his forefinger against the table, creating an annoying sound that reflected the annoyed expression he was wearing. His wife just watched him with those blue eyes that never seemed to blink. Legolas spared her a brief glance, but found that he could not keep her stare for long. He cleared his throat and addressed Haernor:

"The King does not like when things are being stolen from him. It is an insult to the Realm, disrespectful." He took a deep breath and looked both Elves in the eye when he continued: "Since you are both well-versed in the lore of plants, you know that when a weed starts to grow, you need to cut it before it spreads and infect the rest of the garden."

Neither of the Elves spoke after that. Legolas waited, folding his hands in his lap. Haernor's mouth became a thin, white line when he pursed his lips together. His wife put a hand on his and looked at Legolas with her unnerving eyes. Then he heard Lady Amabres speak for the first time, in a voice that was like the wind running through the leaves of the trees:

"Ask what you want to know. We will answer truthfully."

Her eyes never left his and somehow, Legolas could hear the unspoken 'My Lord' in her words. It made him weary.

_"__They're less wise and more dangerous." _

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><p><strong>So, that was that! Any thoughts? <strong>

**For the next chapter, I dare say that Legolas will run into our favourite red-haired Elf again... **

**Next chapter should be up in a week or so. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	7. The third time

**Chapter 7, everyone! **

**I'm sorry for the terrible delay. I had the chapter planned out, but it turned out to be more difficult to write than I thought. I'm still not 100% happy with it, but I hope you'll like it anyway! :) And it's the longest chapter I've written for this story so far, almost three pages longer! **

**On another note; the second trailer for _Battle of the Five Armies_... Incredible, amazing and awesome, right? What do you think? :D **

**Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! Your lovely reviews are greatly appreciated and in time, all shall be revealed...**

**I do not own any characters (just some OCs) or places (except the village named Bendaeenorod, though it lies in Mirkwood which is not mine); J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do. **

__The italics in the beginning and the end of a chapter comes from either one of the Lord of the Rings-books/movies or from any of The Hobbit-movies/book. All of them will have some sort of connection to Elves. So I do not own them as well.__

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 7: The third time<strong>

_"__I've heard tell of the wonders of Elvish medicine." _

"I shall speak plainly with you. Did you steal the _ivor galas_?"

Legolas had to ask the question, despite the other two Elves looking insulted.

"We have not", protested Haernor, his shoulders tensing and eyes narrowing. "I stand by my word. I had not even known about the theft – or thefts for that matter – before you told me today."

Legolas leaned forward and drummed his fingers on the table, starting to lose his patience. He tried to keep himself from doing something he would later regret, something rash. But he was getting tired of not getting anywhere with the thief. While he had gotten the furthest of all that had tried to locate the thief, he was still not close enough.

"Did you notice anything odd then, when you were to collect your share of _ivor galas_?" Legolas continued patiently. "And how many did you take? Who was with you?"

Haernor looked annoyed at all the questions coming at once. He exchanged another glance with his wife. Amabres's eyes were enchanting, imploring and intelligent. Legolas got an odd feeling in his stomach as he watched the two of them interact. They had had hundreds of years to practice communication, ways to behave and Legolas felt like he was missing something between them. Haernor spoke and while his eyes held no less intelligence than his wife's, there was still something wild lurking in them.

"No, everything seemed as usual. The Groundkeeper was his usual charming self, informing us on the latest harvest. We took some flowers with us when we left and two of them were _ivor galas._ As always, Glingaerwen was with me. She is my niece by marriage", Haernor explained at Legolas questioning look. "A sweet girl, who loves to travel and see the kingdom."

"Niece…. Is that your sister's daughter?" asked Legolas Amabres.

The woman shook her head, a sad look in her eyes.

"No. She is the daughter to my brother who perished when the King went to fight in the Last Alliance. We have been raising her ever since. She was only a babe then and her mother could not stand the grief so she sailed West."

There was a tense silent after that and Legolas lowered his eyes in a gesture of condolence. He understood the grief of having someone sail to Valinor and leave the land of the living behind. His mother had sailed many years ago and he thought that the sadness would never go away completely, especially not his father's.

After a quiet moment of paying respect to the ones gone, Legolas continued his inquiry, though even more gentle than before.

"Are you certain that you didn't see or hear anything suspicious or that something was amiss?"

"I am certain", answered Haernor with impatience coloring his tone and flashing across his face. "Everything was as it should've been…."

Legolas was disappointed. He had thought that he would've gotten something valuable out of this trip and search of the village. It had seemed like a good lead and he thought that he would have found something by now, something he could've returned to the castle with and made his father proud. The whole situation reminded him of fighting his way through a swamp, how it had been as if the forest was against him. The same applied to the Elves he had been talking to. Secretive they were and appeared to be fighting him as well with their quiet ways and calculating eyes.

Some of his frustration must have shown, because Amabres's eyes softened a bit.

"My husband speaks the truth", she said slowly and Haernor stiffened beside her. "But something odd happened, though not before they had arrived back here last week."

"Don't", muttered Haernor sharply as Legolas had leaned forward, eager to hear. The old Elf looked the Prince over with bottomless, wild eyes. "He will arrest us and have us thrown before the King before we could blink."

A thrill of finally getting somewhere rushed through him and his eyes gleamed with an almost hungry gleam. Legolas thought that now he would get some sort of confession, some other clue to the big mystery that was the thief and the thefts. Amabres smiled slyly and kept her eyes locked on Legolas, though it was to her husband she spoke:

"It is almost a crime not to answer to the Prince, especially when all he wants to know is for the sake of the Realm."

"The Prince?"

Haernor frowned, glancing between his wife and Legolas. His lips were pursed and eyes surprised. Legolas felt the same weariness as he had before towards her.

"How did you know?" he wondered and the beautiful lady just smiled.

"I was raised at court", she told him. "Alongside the King. You do look a lot like him, but there's something of your mother in you as well. Difficult to forget, faces and authorities like that."

Her words sparked curiosity, but Legolas knew better than to ask and be distracted from his task. Instead, he begged the two of them to explain what had happened when Haernor and Glingaerwen had returned. They obeyed, though now Haernor was regarding him with a mixture of both respect and distrust.

Apparently, the number of _ivor galas _had increased with two after they had been locked away in a room overnight, a room only Haernor, Amabres and her sister had the key to. Legolas found the whole thing rather odd and definitely fishy. He narrowed his eyes a bit and tried not to seem suspicious.

"So you are telling me that you, Master Haernor, locked the flowers – the two _ivor galas _– in your storage room when you came back. You did not return that day; neither did your wife or your sister by marriage. Then the next day you, Lady Amabres, find four _ivor galas _instead of two?"

"Yes", said Amabres calmly, but her eyes were eerie once again. "That is the truth."

"I can see that you are skeptical, my Prince, but we've spoken the truth." Haernor crossed his arms over his chest. "I would swear it in front of the King and the Valar should I have to."

It was a steely note in the Master's voice while his wife now was quiet again and only watching. Legolas almost felt as if he was about to have a headache which was ridiculous. He resisted the urge to massage his temples and how he wished they could have been in a place that was more open and not so small and dim. The candles were starting to burn low.

"Very well", he eventually said. "I thank you for your help."

He did not mention how much quicker everything would've been if they had spoken the truth from the beginning instead of keeping important things from him. Legolas stood up, straightened out his body that was not pleased with having sitting still for so long. The other two Elves followed his example.

"Now, how many knew that you kept the _ivor galas _in there and how many of them it would be?"

"Glingaerwen did", admitted Haernor reluctantly. "But she was by my side constantly during our stay up in the north, at the castle."

Amabres's eyes blazed as if she dared Legolas to accuse her niece of stealing and her brows knitted together made her fair face frightening. Shadows danced upon the walls and across the faces of the two older Elves, making them look a bit predatory. For a moment, Legolas felt as if he was in a cage with two wild things he did not quite know how to handle.

"Before I go I wish to speak with Glingaerwen", he said, making his way to the door. "Do you know where she is?"

"Of course", said Amabres and she were smiling now. Legolas could not decide if she looked scarier when she did so or not. "She's working with me at the moment. We are trying to find out if the leaves of the dandelion can cure the disease of worms in ones guts. I can take you there."

Hesitating for a brief second, Legolas nodded. Amabres eyes glittered in response. Haernor cleared his throat and with his head held high asked if he could return to his work. As Legolas gave him the permission, the Master left the room in prideful strides after giving the Prince a bow. He moved soundlessly down the corridor and Legolas was left with Lady Amabres.

"Lead the way", he said and after locking the door, that was what she did.

They walked down the same corridor as before, but continuing even further underground. They passed the doors to where Haernor did his experiments and Legolas thought that he could distinguish the Master of Herbs' voice through the buzzing noise on the other side of the door. He and Amabres walked in silence. Legolas did not know what to say and she didn't seem interested in having a conversation. It was not long before they arrived at a new door, carved with patterns of leaves from the trees that grew above them.

Amabres opened the door to a brighter room, light making its way through glass that was stuck in between thick roots in the center of the ceiling, which made their way down the walls. Legolas let out a small, grateful sigh at the light. This room was clean and mostly made of stones that seemed to glow with a soft shine to them. There was a bookcase of oak that stood tall against one of the walls, scrolls very neatly organized on the shelves. There was a round table in the middle of the room covered in red fabric and with pots of ink, parchment and bowls with sweet smelling powders.

On a chair, leaning closely over the table while writing, was a brown-haired elleth. As they entered, she looked up and Legolas was met by a sweet face and wide, blue eyes that he thought resembled Lady Amabres's a bit. He found her to be a bit familiar, as if he had seen her once or twice before. The girl – for she appeared to be young; Legolas could read that in her eyes – hurried to stand. Her movements were graceful, but her demeanor hinted that she was nervous.

"Aunt", she greeted softly, her eyes shifting around and she wrung her hands. "What can I do for you?"

"Glingaerwen. How is the work going?" wondered Amabres and her eyes softened, was not blazing as much when she looked at her niece.

"Fine", said Glingaerwen timidly. "Tauriel's giving it one last check, but I've started written the process down."

"Good", praised Amabres and gestured to Legolas. "Legolas here has some questions for you, but no need to feel anxious about it. Just tell him the truth. He won't be long."

Glingaerwen bit her lip and nodded, avoiding Legolas's eyes completely. Amabres gave Legolas a warning look and he could tell that she would be most displeased if he upset her niece. Then her expression changed and she patted his cheek, an action that surprised him and made him freeze.

"I have other things to do, but I trust that you can manage without me. Give your father my regards when you see him again."

Then she left after giving the younger woman an encouraging smile. Legolas blinked a couple of times before collecting himself. He smiled at Glingaerwen who returned it nervously.

"Should we sit down?" Legolas suggested and she obeyed without questioning. She reminded him of a flower before the frost settling in. "I was wondering about your trip to the Halls of the King with Master Haernor. I don't know if you have heard about that there have been some thefts around the Realm…."

"I have", interrupted Glingaerwen in barely a whisper. "Rumors, you know? And the trees like to tell what they have heard."

Legolas smiled slightly.

"Yes. Well, then you might've heard about the _ivor galas _that were stolen around the time you and your kin was there visiting?"

He said it carefully, because he was not sure of how much she could handle. Awfully frail she seemed, both to body and mind. Glingaerwen nodded, her eyes wide.

"Yes…. But I didn't take them!" she exclaimed urgently. "I swear I did not. I was with Master Haernor the whole time or with Tauriel…."

"Tauriel?" interrupted Legolas, being the second time he had heard that name now. "Who is this Tauriel?"

"My friend and colleague", said Glingaerwen and wrung her hands in her lap again. "She travelled with Master Haernor and me."

"He did not mentioned her", said Legolas, annoyed and curious to why.

Glingaerwen shrugged.

"She wasn't with us when we collected the plants; she visited one of the workers there instead."

Legolas thought hard. In the span of a couple of minutes, he had a new suspect, someone to question. It seemed to never end, but he steeled himself for another inquiry. Forcing his muscles to form a smile even through his slight exhaustion, he asked Glingaerwen if she could take him to Tauriel, if she was working. The young elleth hesitated, but then nodded.

"Of course. If you come this way…."

Legolas left the room and followed Glingaerwen further along the labyrinth that was the House of Green. There were no torches on the walls in the new corridor, but it was also very short, barely a distance of a few meters. Glingaerwen knocked twice on the door before opening it and entering.

"Tauriel", she said nervously. "There's someone here who wants to talk with you."

She held up the door wider so that Legolas could properly come inside. The room was horribly small. An Elf was standing with her back towards him and her hair – though the light was dim – he could make out was red. Unconsciously, his lips formed to a smile.

_Tauriel. _

She was sitting down, her back bent as she seemed to be inspecting something on the desk very carefully. Glingaerwen cleared her throat and Legolas leaned against the wall, waiting. A couple of minutes passed and Tauriel did not make a move that she was aware of their presence. She seemed absorbed in her work. Legolas glanced questioningly at Glingaerwen who looked embarrassed. Deciding that he could not waste more time, Legolas went over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, startled.

He had been correct in his assumptions that it was the woman from before. She was wearing a pair of round glasses with thick frames that magnified her eyes and she blinked owlishly at him, surprise coloring her cheeks. He would have laughed had not those ridiculous glasses made the green of her eyes even more pronounced and his inside did a funny flip. For all his trying, he must have stared because she hurriedly removed the glasses and pulled out some wool from her ears and dropped to the desk. Her cheeks were tinged with pink.

"Tauriel", Legolas tried the name out and the woman's eyes flashed in what could be annoyance or defeat.

"Yes. You found me I see."

"I did." His smile lessened considerably. "And now I will probably accuse you of stealing again."

Tauriel let out a sigh and leaned against the desk. She looked in Glingaerwen's direction and the other woman wore an apologetic expression. Tauriel sighed again.

"I did not steal anything."

"But you were there", Legolas pointed out. "And I saw you the day after the theft. I told you then that it was suspicious and I stand my ground."

"If you were to ask Cerenil, who works at the harvests, she would vouch for me. I spent my time with her, discussing healing plants."

She sounded certain, her chin stuck out in defiance and her eyebrows raised in a gestured that dared him to speak against her and call her a liar. Legolas thought the name Cerenil was familiar and he remembered that he had been told that she was a worker near the castle, just as Tauriel had claimed. His patience was starting to wear thin. Tauriel offered him a slight smile that did nothing to help. Glingaerwen was silent, but Legolas felt that she would do best with sitting and calm down. Something was a bit strange about her; he had never met an Elf that showed so much emotion, like a mortal who had everything to lose.

"You doubt me", Tauriel stated, her lips curling upwards in an almost bitter smile. "Of course you do; hiding behind the castle walls is a sign of weariness, distrust of others.

"You have not made an effort to make me think otherwise", Legolas replied stonily, not impressed by her tone.

Taurel let out a small snort, shaking her head in amusement and turned her back to him to organize something on the desk. Probably the result of one of the queer experiments they were doing there. She handed a jar in which a dandelion leaf was floating to Glingaerwen. The leaf had lost its usual color and had thread-like, dark green veins now. Legolas did not understand why anyone would want to treat nature like that.

"It should be ready to try out", said Tauriel. "But it would be for the best if you talked to Lady Amabres first."

"Yes."

Glingaerwen nodded in agreement and looked relieved to have a reason for leaving. Tauriel regarded her with a friendly look, a soft curl to her lips, but there was sadness in her eyes. Legolas was struck at how many mysteries one small village could contain.

Glingaerwen left them, holding the jar in a tender grip as she made her way out. Legolas and Tauriel were left alone and silence was between them. He stood rather rigid, feeling a bit uncomfortable. Tauriel glanced at the floor, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeves, which were brown like the uniforms Legolas had seen others wear earlier. He thought of what to say next, what to ask, but she beat him to it:

"What must I do to get you not to doubt me?"

Her eyes pierced his blue ones with a determined stare. Legolas let out a frustrated sigh, the events of the day catching up with him; the clues that seemed to go around in a circle, the dark tunnels that made him feel like a prisoner and the peculiar behavior of the other Elves. And then there was her, the red-haired woman. Tauriel. He didn't know what to feel about her, only that she was different and mysterious in a way that made him weary and curious, drawn.

"Tell me the truth", he replied gravely, a sign of vulnerability shadowing his face for a moment. "That's all I want."

Tauriel bit her lip, drawing her brows together in troubled thoughts. Then she broke out into a smile, _her smile_, and Legolas felt the tension in his shoulders ease, but the beatings of his heart did not.

"I think I know something that would help", said Tauriel and there was a wild gleam in her eyes now as well.

"What?"

Her smile got next to lethal.

"You will have to trust me", she said and Legolas resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"How can I do that when you have not given me a good reason to?" he asked.

Tauriel smiled secretively and reached out, patted his arm. He froze. Her eyes were daring.

"I guess this is a good way to begin. Especially if you give me your name", she added amiably.

It was Legolas turn to grin now despite himself and his training to always be in control of his expressions, his emotions.

"That will be my secret for now. You can't have them all by yourself."

Tauriel showed her pearly teeth in a most beautiful, deadly smile and the 'challenge accepted' was clearly written in the depths of her forest-green eyes.

_"__Tauriel." _

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><p><strong>So, that was that! What did you think? New guesses or theories or is it just a mess? <strong>

**Next chapter should have a slightly romantic note to it and hopefully should be up sometime next week.**

**Thanks for reading!**


	8. Under a sky full of stars

**Chapter 8, everyone! **

**I'm sorry for the delay. I've been busy with school and had a slight case of writer's block to this story, but hopefully it will have vanished now! And today, I bought tickets to the Swedish premiere of _Battle of the Five Armies. _I can hardly wait :D**

**Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! I really appreciate all of your support and all of you deserve a Bombur-sized 'thank you'! **

** I don't own any characters (just some Ocs') or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do. **

_The italics in the beginning and the end of a chapter come from either one of the Lord of the Rings books/Movies or from one of The Hobbit Movies/book. All of them will have some connection to Elves. So I don't own them as well! _

**Enjoy!**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8: Under a sky full of stars<strong>

_"__I have walked there sometimes, beyond the forest and up into the night." _

A knock on the door startled Legolas from where he was lying on the bed, captivated by the shadows of the flickering candles on the walls. He had been resting, carefully trying to knit together all the knowledge he had gained during his stay in _Bendaeenorod. _It barely made any sense to him and he could imagine his father's disappointment when he returned home. He felt rather disappointed himself.

At the sound of the door, Legolas got up, certain of who it would be on the other side. Since he had been given one of Tatharon's many humble cottages, he had not had any visitors except the Guardian himself. Though he never came after dusk had fallen. Tauriel, however, had told him that she would.

When he opened the door, it was Tauriel standing there. Her brown uniform had been exchanged for a green attire resembling the one she had worn when he first had met her. She looked at peace; her features were softer and not as mischievous as he had seen her been. Her eyes nearly glowed in the dark.

"Good evening", she greeted him; her hands clasped behind her back and offered him a calming smile.

"Good evening."

It felt surreal. For a moment Legolas was at loss at what to do. Tauriel still wore an expression of serenity and asked him:

"Are you prepared to go?"

"I don't know where we are going", Legolas pointed out.

Tauriel smiled sweetly, tilting her head to one side.

"Trust me, remember?"

Legolas only shook his head. He turned around and started to blow out the candles, knowing better than to temp fire alone with wood. He heard how Tauriel followed, though she stopped at the threshold. Legolas could feel how her eyes swept across the room, taking in every little detailed. Even though it was not his home, he wanted to leave as quickly as possible. He did not feel quite comfortable with her entering his comfort zone of sorts. Before blowing out the last candles, Legolas picked up his bow and quiver.

"You won't need those", said Tauriel. "We are not going anywhere dangerous."

"It was a gift from my father. I like to have it close at hands. One can never be too careful."

He strapped his bow and quiver to his back. He felt Tauriel watching him.

"Do you practice with the bow?" he asked, facing her and found that she was looking at his bow.

She blinked a couple of times before answering.

"Yes, though not as much as I would have liked. My father was an excellent archer and made the best bows you could find. In fact." She paused and narrowed her eyes ever so slightly and reached out a hand to stroke the smooth, carved wood of his bow. "I think my father made this." She met his gaze and her lips quirked. "Coincidence, don't you think?"

"I don't believe in coincidences", said Legolas truthfully and blew out the last candles.

The cottage became dark. He closed the door, locked it with the tiny key he had been given by Tatharon and took a deep breath, enjoying the slightly cool air of the summer evening.

"What is your father doing now?" Legolas asked as they started to walk, though it was only Tauriel who decided their path.

"I don't know", said Tauriel softly. "He's been missing for years."

Legolas regretted the question, but Tauriel didn't look bothered. Her gaze was fixed ahead and he dared ask:

"What of your mother?"

"My mother and brother departed for Lothlórien a year after my father's disappearance", she continued in the same far away voice. "She needed to heal, to get away. Heartache is the worst of sorrows."

"Why didn't you go with them?"

Legolas thought it a bit odd. Eternity was awful without anyone to share it with and lineage was important to the Elves. He would never have thought of separate from his father, not after a tragedy like losing a family member. Legolas had been young when his mother had sailed, but he and his father would not have managed had they not had had each other.

Tauriel gave him a half-smile.

"I didn't want to leave", she explained. "I mean, one day I will, but I feel that I have something to do here first."

"Like a duty?"

There was a moment of pause before Tauriel answered in an equally soft voice:

"Yes, like a duty."

They exchanged a glance of quiet understanding. Legolas had often felt the same. As the Prince of the Woodland Realm, he knew the meaning of the word 'duty' better than anyone. He had a duty to his father, his people and his kingdom. They would always weigh on his shoulders. He did not mind, for he took his task seriously and with pride, but even he could sometimes dream of a life where he could be free in a way he never could be now.

Tauriel led him through the village. It was dark, save for beautiful lanterns hanging outside every house glittering like fireflies in the darkness. 'Mysterious and peaceful' were the words that came to Legolas's mind as they strolled along. Crickets were playing and owls hooted, their eyes gleaming from up in the trees. It was different from the castle, his home with its vast halls and dim lights, torches that burned the whole night. 'Strict and organized' were the words he would use to describe his father's halls.

They talked. Legolas could not remember having opened up this much to anyone before. At first, he was reserved because he was not used to talk about himself, especially not to a stranger. Tauriel stood for most of the conversation, telling him about the village and pieces of information about its inhabitants. Legolas listened attentively, hoping she would mention something he could use in his search for the thief. He could tell that she was proud of her home.

Eventually, Tauriel started to ask him about how it was to live in the castle and Legolas was careful not to give away that he was the Prince, but described the castle and its people as best he could and he realized that he missed it all as he spoke of it. Tauriel listened, asking questions and after a while, Legolas felt relaxed and comfortable in her company.

The night seemed to never end and they had covered subjects like flowers to weaponry, from Dwarves to Men and seasons to Elven history, just to name a few. To Legolas, it was as if Tauriel appeared happier now and he had not seen any hints of the infuriating smile of hers. It was for the best.

They stopped in front of an enormous tree, a tall and proud oak. From high above dangled a ladder. Legolas tried to see where it ended, but his sight was clouded by branches and leaves.

"I live up there", Tauriel told him.

"And you want me to enter?" asked Legolas, feeling a bit warm.

"Yes?" said Tauriel, making it seem like a question. She frowned at him.

"Won't people talk?" Legolas wondered, a note of worry in his voice.

Tauriel raised an eyebrow at him.

"They always do, but what is it for them to talk about?" she asked him teasingly.

Her smile was infectious and he found his lips curled to match it. She took a firm grip on the ladder and started climbing. Her long hair was swaying behind her and he wanted to reach out and feel if it really was as soft as he thought it would be. He blinked, frustrated with himself and sure of that the magical atmosphere of the dark was getting to his head.

Tauriel soon disappeared amongst the leaves and branches, melting together with the shadows. She moved silently, a skill most useful. Legolas looked up after her, one hand tentatively holding on to the thin ladder, but not even his sharp eyes could see her through the dark. A thought of that she perhaps had left him had barely formed in his head before he heard her call, her voice distant:

"Are you coming?"

Adjusting his bow and quiver, Legolas gripped the ladder and started to climb. His movements were also graceful, years of training and natural grace showing. The ladder was thin and fine, but made of some sturdier quality than he first had thought. To get higher up, he had to duck and avoid thick branches and twigs with paper-thin leaves. Eventually, he reached the edge of a floor, holding tightly on to it with one hand and heaved himself up. There was a house built around the thick branches, a homely house with a wild look to it; leaves draped across the walls and moss growing along the roof.

Tauriel was sitting crouched down on the terrace. Should she have stood up, her hair would have got caught in the branches. It was an odd settlement, but somehow fitting for Tauriel. She patted the spot next to her.

"Sit", she said and looked utterly at peace. "I want to show you something."

Carefully and not without some small amount of wonder – he refused to call it nerves – he did as she asked. The planks were smooth, worn-out by weather and nature. They were comfortable to sit on. Legolas waited, studying her face. He had not been this close to her before. Up close, her beauty was not as remarkable; her face was relaxed, there were no secrets there, only a sort of tranquility. He found that he preferred her this way, the way she had behaved tonight. It was less confusing and felt more real. Tauriel watched him out of the corner of her eye and seemed almost shy of the attention. She smiled slightly.

"Close your eyes."

"Why?" Legolas asked, swallowing.

"Trust me."

It was spoken softly, a mere whisper in the still air. Legolas sighed and did as she asked. She had been right; one of them would have to make the first move and it would be easier if he trusted her. The part of his mind who sounded like his father disagreed, but that part was so easy to ignore that it might as well not have been there.

When Legolas closed his eyes, all his other senses were heightened. He could hear all the sounds of the forest, but the strongest sounds were that of his own breaths, mixed with Tauriel's. He heard how she moved and then he felt her hand on his chest. He cursed his heart for betraying what his face did not.

"Lie down, but don't open your eyes."

With his a pounding in his ears, Legolas removed his bow and quiver. Then he slowly leaned backwards until he was lying down facing the sky. He felt Tauriel lay down beside him and a scent of pine needles and wild berries made its way up his nose.

"You can open your eyes now."

And so Legolas did.

It was quite unlike anything he had ever seen.

Right above them, there was a great parting of the branches and leaves, leaving them with a perfect view of the sky. It was the deepest of black and carried on for miles and miles in every direction. Thousands of stars were spread out above them and they glittered like diamonds, crystals or shards of glass lying out in the sun. It was an incredible sight as Legolas rarely got to see the sky behind the protecting crowns of leaves on the trees. Stardust was scattered in front of his eyes and it made him feel small and awed, completely at peace with himself and the world.

"Amazing, isn't it?" came Tauriel's musically voice.

Legolas nodded, because his voice had caught in his throat. Tauriel let out a short laugh, but it was filled with warmth and a rare sort of happiness. It was a lovely thing and whatever worry he might have had before, sorted out knots that had been in his stomach and the investigation concerning the thief had slipped his mind for a bit. He was grateful that she had taken the trouble to make him relax and showing him the beauty of the part of a world that had been foreign to him. At the moment, he could only think of one thing to give her as a gesture of gratitude.

"My name is Legolas", he told her, his eyes not leaving the beautiful sight of the stars.

Tauriel didn't say anything, but even though he was not looking at her, he knew that she was smiling.

_"__All light is sacred to the Eldar, but the Wood Elves loves best the light of the stars." _

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><p><strong>So, that was that! Worth the wait? :) <strong>

**I don't know when the next chapter will be up, but I know that I won't be able to finish this story before _Battle of the Five Armies _is released, which I had originally planned, but I think it'll do. **

**Thanks for reading! **


	9. Summoned

**Chapter 9, everyone! **

**A bit late, perhaps, but it's here now! And now, I've seen _Battle of the Five Armies _and I've got a bit of mixed feelings about it, but still it was a rather good movie. If you've seen it, what do you think? :) **

**Thanks to all readers, followers, favourites and reviewers! As always, it's a joy to read your comments and I really appreciate all of your support! **

**I do not own any characters (except some OCs) or places; J.R.R Tolkien or Peter Jackson and Co do. **

_The italics in the beginning and the end of a chapter come from either one of the Lord of the Rings books/Movies or from one of The Hobbit Movies/book. All of them will have some connection to Elves. So I don't own them as well! _

**Enjoy!**

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><p><strong>Chapter 9: Summoned <strong>

_"__I came to reclaim something of mine." _

"My Lord!"

Legolas blinked. Slowly, he sat up; still not quite his usual alert self. The magical haze from last night had not yet left him.

"It's urgent!"

Blinking again, he recognized the voice to belong to Tatharon. The Guardian sounded not as calm as usual, but had an edge to his voice that Legolas had never heard before. The blond Prince leapt to his feet immediately and hurried to the door.

Tatharon was standing outside, wringing his hands. His eyes snapped in Legolas's direction the instant the door opened.

"My Lord", he repeated and before Legolas could chastise him for using his title the older Elf continued: "A messenger from the castle has arrived, demanding to speak with you. She drew quite the attention to herself – we do not get many visitors here as you know – but I managed to get her to my house without too much of trouble. I thought I might warn you", he finished and his green eyes had a calculating look to them.

Legolas got a sour taste in his mouth at the news and he repressed an annoyed sigh. Apparently his father must have gotten impatient. He gave Tatharon a nod of gratitude at the news, though feeling as if he had aged considerably the last seconds.

"Thank you", he said. "If you could hold her at yours for a moment, I would be most grateful. I just need some time to prepare."

He was still dressed in a loose nightshirt and light-brown trousers. His long, blond hair was slightly tousled and his feet bare. It was not an attire fitting for a Prince in a meeting.

Tatharon made a noise of agreement before turning on his heels and following the path down to the village. Legolas shut the door again, leaning against it and run a hand across his face. Last night appeared to be a dream and now reality was calling.

He dressed quickly and splashed his face with water from a bowl placed at the table. After fastening his bow and quiver, he picked up a lonely apple from a bowl that had been filled with fruits and then he was out of the cottage, locking the door behind him.

It was not the early hours, Legolas could tell, because there were quite a lot of people out and moving about. As he made his way towards Tatharon's home, he was greeted by many that passed him and it surprised him. A slightly warm feeling spread in his heart at this easy show of being included even though he was barely more than a stranger to these people.

Tatharon's home was lightened up; Legolas could see candles shine even though the sun was able to shine through the trees' crowns of leaves. He was reluctant to go inside, but – as he had spoken to Tauriel the night before – he had a strong sense of duty that almost came before anything else.

The Guardian opened the door before Legolas had managed to do more than raise his hand, prepared to knock. The older Elf wore no smile, though he was as polite as ever.

"My Lord."

Legolas stepped inside the same room he had been in the first day of his arrival. It looked the same, save for the Guard sitting at the table with a stoic expression. When she spotted Legolas she sprung to her feet and bowed.

"_Heru en amin_", she said, straightening up again.

"Rìnthel", Legolas acknowledged her, knowing her from before as she was second in command of the Guards. He was surprised and touched in a strange way that Thranduil had sacrificed one of the best to collect him. "What do you have to report, what is the King's demand?"

"Perhaps we could speak in private?" suggested the Guard with a sharp look in Tatharon's direction.

The Guardian smiled a thin smile, still looking weary. A small wrinkle appeared between Legolas's eyebrows as he thought the situation over. Tatharon had been very kind and helpful, but Legolas wondered what had put the man on edge now. Rìnthel had a hard expression fitting for her position as a Guard. Legolas could only agree with her.

"If you follow me, I am sure we can talk somewhere else…."

"No need to trouble", interrupted Tatharon with a shadow of his usual bright smile. "I can see myself out, do not bother."

Before Legolas could thank him or offer any words of kindness, the other Elf had disappeared. Legolas was left with a queasy feeling in his stomach. He turned to face Rìnthel again. She looked tense, ready to draw weapon should it be needed. Legolas sat down in a chair opposite her and gestured for her to speak. Instead of obeying his wishing, Rìnthel took out a scroll from her inner pocket and handed it to him. It was sealed with his father's sigil, but it did not surprise him. He opened it in silence, recognizing his father's writing. Many might not have believed so, but the King was skilled when it came to write. Legolas had always found his father's letters to be something of the prettiest things he had seen. His eyes darted back and forth across the short letter. The scroll smelled of the perfume that usually was sprayed around Thranduil's chambers, a scent Legolas associated with 'home'.

The letter was short and to the point. Legolas was frowning when he was done reading it.

"He wants me to return to the castle", he told Rìnthel and folded the letter and put it in a pocket of his own. "Did you know?"

"The King did hint something of the sort", admitted the Guard. "And I was allowed to drag you home by the ear, should you not do as the letter said." She broke out into a teasing smile. "Though since you are no longer an Elfling, I do not think treating you as one should be necessary."

Legolas refused from answering, but the tip of his ears grew hot. He thought back to the days when he had been so young that many of the Guards had to drag him by the ear to where he should be no matter if it was from his room to meet with some high lord or another, or from the training grounds to his lessons.

"How long was it since you left the castle grounds?" he asked the older woman as a change of subject, neither agreeing nor disagreeing to leave.

"The King sent me two days after you had left."

Legolas frowned even though he should be used to his father's fickle behavior. Then he thought of something else.

"If he sent you so soon after my departing, why did you not arrive until now?"

If his eyes did not deceive him, the Guard did something close to blushing. He could feel his eyebrows rise.

"I had to gather knowledge about the way here", she said defensively. "The forest has changed and it has been a long time since I ventured this far south."

A silence stretched after that in which Legolas utilized to gather his thoughts and think. The letter had clearly expressed that he was to return home and report and that Thranduil wanted to speak with him. Legolas felt that he could not obey his father's wish, since he did not think that he had enough to report. Something about the thief and the village puzzled him. His conversation with Tauriel the previous night had got his head spinning and left him with a lot to ponder on.

"What will you do if I refuse to come?"

Rìnthel gave him a calculating look, her eyes hard.

"My duty is foremost to the Realm and its King. I am sorry, my Lord, but I will not stand for you to refuse."

Legolas had thought as much. He inclined his head towards her, a sign that he understood. Understanding did not mean that he liked it.

"I suggest you gather your things", said Rínthel and threw a suspicious glance around the room, her gaze lingering on the windows. "We should depart as soon as possible."

A single nod was all Legolas could muster as he pushed his chair back and stood up. When Rìnthel did the same, Legolas stopped her by asking her to wait there and let him pack by himself. He explained that he did not want to attract attention and that him being seen with a Royal Guard could just do that. Rìnthel was not too pleased.

"Do they not know who you are?" she asked sharply. "My Lord, what possessed you to act this way?"

"I found it to be more effective", answered Legolas truthfully, but did not elaborate.

He had channeled his father, for his eyes turned cold and Rìnthel had lived long enough around the King and his son to know when to not step over boundaries that could not be seen but were there. She kept silent, only reminding Legolas to hurry and the he left the room. He had suspected to run into Tatharon, but the Guardian was nowhere to be seen. Legolas tried not to dwell on it.

He hurried back to his cottage and did not even stop to chat with the Elves that tried to engage him in their talk. However polite he brushed them off, Legolas still felt a pang of remorse at having to leave them when he had just begun to get their acceptance. Another part of him wondered if Rìnthel was right to express her surprise and doubt; by not revealing his identity – except to Tatharon and the strange Lady Amabres – he was lying, in a sense, and did he deserve the people of _Bendaeenorod's _trust then?

Packing was something he did quickly. He had not had too much with him to begin with and he had not caused a mess during his stay so his things were easy to find. The only other thing he packed was some bread and fruit for the journey back.

One last time, he looked around the cottage, feeling a bit nostalgic as he locked the door a final time. He took a firm grip around his bag and took off down the path, a slight hurry to his steps. After thinking, he realized that he wanted to find Tauriel. What he wanted to say to her, he was not entirely sure of. Perhaps he just wanted to say goodbye, as he doubted they would meet again. No matter what reason his mind and heart had come up with, he wanted to see Tauriel.

Legolas made his way towards Tauriel's house. It was in the opposite direction of where he should be going. On his way, he noticed Elves climbing down the tall trees with agile movements from their houses that were hidden up amongst the branches and leaves.

He was not going to admit that he might have been a little bit lost as to where to go. The forest looked different during the day and if he was being honest, he had not paid much attention to the paths they had wandered the night before. His attention had been on the red-haired woman next to him.

When he realized that he was wasting time when running around like a fool, he thought of trying to look for Tauriel in the House of Green instead. That was a way he knew how to find.

A small distance from the House of Green, he ran into Glingaerwen. He stopped her and asked if she knew where Tauriel was, if she was working today. The young Elf appeared to be flustered at the sudden attention and told him – eyes flickering nervously around – that Tauriel was not working today and that she did not know where she could be, if she had not accompanied the archers to their training, but that was only a guess.

Legolas involuntarily cursed, though not so Glingaerwen would hear. Things had not gone his way today. He contemplated if he should try at the archers' place, but at the same time he knew that if Rìnthel had to wait much longer he would have to deal with an overprotective Guard on his trail and that wasn't something he was eager to deal with.

Trying not to show his disappointment, Legolas thanked Glingaerwen and made his way back to Tatharon's home. Despite the disappointment, he knew that it was perhaps for the best that he left without seeing Tauriel. He had a duty to the Realm and his father, a duty Tauriel made him forget when he was with her, if only for a moment. He ignored the slight twist in his chest.

When he arrived at the Guardian's home, Rìnthel was standing outside and waited for him, Tatharon by her side. He did not look as nervous now, more like his usual calm and merry self. Neither of the two was speaking.

"I am ready to go", said Legolas as he approached them.

Rìnthel nodded and her posture betrayed that she would be ready to run at any moment. Legolas had never really understood how the Guards could be so stiff, yet wild at the same time. Legolas shot her a look as if to tell her to wait. Then he turned towards Tatharon.

"I would like to express my gratitude for letting me stay here", said Legolas. "And for your help." He put a hand to his chest as a sign of respect. "_Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta._"

"It has been an honor", bowed Tatharon and when he straightened up, he wore the same smile and gleam in his eyes that he had had when Legolas first had met him. "And the best of luck with catching the thief."

He sounded sincere, but Legolas only managed a nod. How low he had fallen when he had to depend on luck to succeed?

_"__You will not turn away." _

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><p><em>Heru en amin - <em>My Lord (nonfamiliar)

_Aa' menealle nauva calen ar' malta - _May your ways be green and golden

**So, that was that! Any thoughts? **

**Some of you might be a bit disappointed in the lack of LegolasxTauriel, but I assure you that in a couple of chapters' time, things will change. **

**I cannot say when the next chapter will be up, _hopefully_ next week, but I can't make any promises.**

**Thanks for reading & "Merry Christmas" (or whatever holiday you might celebrate) to you all! :) **


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